The Umdasch Group, comprising the twin divisions of Doka Group and Umdasch Shopfitting Group, ranks among Europe’s premier timber-processing enterprises. With annual sales revenues of around a billion euros and a worldwide workforce of more than 6000, the Umdasch Group is also one of the biggest private companies in Austria. The worldwide presence of the Umdasch Group is underlined by its export ratio of over 90 percent, and more than 170 branches in over 65 countries. The intensive in-house research and development effort pursued by the Umdasch Group, and its vigorous networking with outside research institutions, are vital building-blocks for its business success and innovational strength.

In memory of Josef Umdasch, the founder of the Umdasch Group, entries are invited by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna for the

Josef Umdasch Research Prize 2012 This international competition is endowed with EUR 30,000 of prize-money.

The prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in the field of forestry and timber science, having particular regard to

• innovations, improvements and environmental issues relating to the working, processing and utilisation of wood;

• Innovations in sustainable timber production including environmentally friendly harvesting systems, and • work on the “timber value chain”, encompassing silvicultural timber production, and the working,

processing and utilisation of wood, from harvesting all the way through to processing.

The Josef Umdasch Research Prize can be awarded to persons of any nationality who have produced outstanding research and development work in the above fields.

The deadline for the submission of entries is 31st July 2012

Relevance to the fields of business of the Umdasch Group is not a criterion for assessment of the entries.

Entries, in English or German and in hardcopy as well as on a digital data medium, should be sent to the Research Service Unit at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, attn. Mrs. Marion Mitter, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, A-1180 Vienna (Tel: +43 (0)1 47654-1032).

Information on the Josef Umdasch Research Prize may be found online at www.umdasch.com and http://www.boku.ac.at/fos-umdasch.html?&L=1.